Garmin Foot Pod with Total Barefoot

johnnyyukon

Barefooters
Oct 10, 2014
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0
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So I saw this in another thread but it was 4 years old so I thought I'd share my solution.
(old thread: http://www.thebarefootrunners.org/threads/garmin-foot-pod.3506/)

I run barefoot on the treadmill a lot, and there' also a beach close by. It's apparently water proof so this set up should be good on the beach and hold up against sand, though I haven't tested there yet.

A lot of people were putting it on their ankle, which I've tried, but the pod has a little arrow in front and the sensors are designed to detect striking impact with the pod at the front of the foot. I proved this by testing and getting much more accurate readings, compared to the ankle.

It's a little ghetto, and I'd prefer an elastic velcro, but the trick is finding something that has two little shoelace sized strings/fabric to put the tight fitting pod on. I'm using a removeable camelbak waist strap until I can find something a little better, but this has held up for 3 miles with no problems:


Edit: man feet are ugly, I shoulda zoomed out. Oh well!


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I also put mine on my ankle and have had no problems with it there. There are also a few races I have run in that use a card that is supposed to lay mostly flat on top of the shoe. I have been told it can't go on my ankle because the sensors won't pick it up. I tried to strap it across the middle of the foot like the picture above, but it felt too loose like the card might go to the underside or even the side of my foot and not stay on top. I tried to tighten it, but then I felt too much pressure on the muscles in my foot, especially when lifting my foot from the pavement. I also wondered if it would last an entire marathon or trail races. I didn't want to have to keep looking down at my foot the entire race to make sure it was still there or have to go back and pick it up if it fell off. Also, feet tend to swell a little during long runs or races, so what felt comfortable at the start could cause more problems later.
 
I also put mine on my ankle and have had no problems with it there. There are also a few races I have run in that use a card that is supposed to lay mostly flat on top of the shoe. I have been told it can't go on my ankle because the sensors won't pick it up. I tried to strap it across the middle of the foot like the picture above, but it felt too loose like the card might go to the underside or even the side of my foot and not stay on top. I tried to tighten it, but then I felt too much pressure on the muscles in my foot, especially when lifting my foot from the pavement. I also wondered if it would last an entire marathon or trail races. I didn't want to have to keep looking down at my foot the entire race to make sure it was still there or have to go back and pick it up if it fell off. Also, feet tend to swell a little during long runs or races, so what felt comfortable at the start could cause more problems later.



Yeah, so I have the Forerunner 15 and it seems to calibrate more accurately when I run outdoors, but I'm not as hardcore as you, haha, so it's always on a minimalist shoe then. But indoors, it seems that the ankle solution wasn't measuring data right. I might try it again as you're right, as it is a tad more comfortable. The way I have it, it doesn't constrain anything and used for relatively short periods.

In your case, for all the reasons you listed, I would say that the ankle is probably the only solution for a marathon. And if it's giving correct data, then why the hell not? haha

btw, I taught English in Kaohsiung for a little bit and checked out the east coast, and of course, Kenting. Beautiful parts of Taiwan once you get away from the smog. I miss it, lovely place.